Kat Holmes is the former principal director of Inclusive Design at Microsoft. In this episode, we talk about the definition of inclusive design, take an inside look at her “special ops” design unit, and dive into the best method for deploying human-centered design.

Design is more than a department within a company. Holmes shares how design is a method of working that helps to “frame a problem through a human lens.” Rather than thinking of design as a noun or title, she implores us to look at it as a verb.

Inclusive design has been equated to universal design in the past. Holmes says the two aren’t as similar as you may think. Whereas universal design is the mentality of “one-size-fits-all,” inclusive design is more of a “one-size-fits-one” approach that ultimately yields better results for everyone.